Should eugenic practices such as the sterilization of people with genetic diseases and/or giving incentives for successful people to breed be put into practice?
Ever since Adolf Hitler and his Nazi regime, the word "eugenics" has stirred nothing but negative public attention. Simply because of the association with the Holocaust, anything with the word "eugenics" has been shunned. But now, more than half a century later, is it still right to shun the notion of an entire science simply because of a historical mishap? Let's throw away our preconceptions and take a look at the hard facts surrounding eugenics and whether or not we should actually start to put it into practice by doing things such as sterilizing people with genetic diseases at birth.
Arguments for:
Healthier gene pool
Modern "evolution"
Less strain on society to provide for the disabled
Arguments against:
Slippery slope: neutering people with genetic diseases could just be the start of something holocaust-esque
Not ethically sound / human rights violation ; everyone has the right to procreate
Should eugenic practices such as the sterilization of people with genetic diseases and/or giving incentives for successful people to breed be put into practice?
Ever since Adolf Hitler and his Nazi regime, the word "eugenics" has stirred nothing but negative public attention. Simply because of the association with the Holocaust, anything with the word "eugenics" has been shunned. But now, more than half a century later, is it still right to shun the notion of an entire science simply because of a historical mishap? Let's throw away our preconceptions and take a look at the hard facts surrounding eugenics and whether or not we should actually start to put it into practice by doing things such as sterilizing people with genetic diseases at birth.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugenics
http://www.eugenicsonline.netfirms.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_determinism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inheritance_of_intelligence
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Darwinism
Arguments for:
Healthier gene pool
Modern "evolution"
Less strain on society to provide for the disabled
Arguments against:
Slippery slope: neutering people with genetic diseases could just be the start of something holocaust-esque
Not ethically sound / human rights violation ; everyone has the right to procreate
Case Study: Sexual Sterilization Act of Alberta
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_Sterilization_Act_of_Alberta
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberta_Eugenics_Board
http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/en/timePortals/milestones/29mile.asp
http://www.bcacl.org/index.cfm?act=main&call=f6adfcf2
Case Study: Ancient Sparta
http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/H/history/n-s/spartans1.html
Caste Study: Nazi Eugenics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_eugenics